Here’s my post from the Mardi Gras 3000 forum:
“Subject: Prepping Your Deck
“Unlike other CCGs and exactly like the best table-top gaming props and other cardstock models, the Mardi Gras 3000 Starter Deck and all the boosters need to be prepped. As I wrote in the sourcebook and in my blog, this shouldn't be a big deal for the gamer set who enjoy painting their Warhammer figures before a big game or building a scale model of the Death Star
“The cards ship in 9 x 12 sheets (they're 2.5 x 2.5 each) with clear, white cut lines. They're easy to cut apart--trust me. I've prepped more than fifty decks myself (my record is twenty minutes). After the cutting is done, you punch holes with a standard hole punch (the round kind) wherever you see a white circle. The whole thing is fast and easy. And, of course, you only have to prep a deck once.
“The MG3K Starter Deck comes with a Standard Gaming Board (purple on black ships with the SD but other colors are available for very inexpensively). The Deluxe Gaming Board is very expensive but it is what I use. The Deluxe is one piece, 21 x 21, high gloss, laminated. The Standard, though not as shiny, is just as good for play however. It comes with the SD in four pieces. Simple cut out the four big squares and lay them together. Instant 21 x 21 board. I like to slap four little pieces of tape on the back of the board pieces to hold them tight but this is required.
“Personally, I would prep my new deck before my friends arrive to play just so there's no wait on the fun beginning.
“So, just so we're all clear, the things you'll need are:
“Scissors
Hole punch
Six sided die (d6) -- one per player is optional
Pennies (one per player) or another type of coutner
Roll of tape (optional)
“Thanks everyone!”
I’m asking people to do something no other CCG publisher or designer has ever asked them to do. Basically, build your deck yourself. That kinda sucks, no? With other CCGs you just rip off the shrink wrap with your teeth, shuffle, deal and play. With Mardi Gras, you rip off the shrink wrap with your teeth (you beast), cut out the cards, punch some holes, shuffle, deal and play. You only have to “prep” your deck once, of course, but still, this is pretty darn different than the norm.
The decks ship as “Flat Decks” in sheets of cards. Those sheets have skinny white cut lines. Snip, snip. Then there’s these white circles. Punch, punch. Voila! You have nifty square cards with round little holes. Slices of kick-butt futuristic Swiss cheese... uh... or a cool deck of ninetyplus cards good to go.
I don’t think of it as such a big deal but I know that others will so I am kinda stuck on it for a while. I keep thinking about the whole OGL argument. You know, most of role-playing games are based on the OGL operating system which is basically the old D&D system. So you can go pick up an all new game (the world, setting and adventures) but already know all the rules and how to play. It makes everything easy for everyone.
Same deal with the Deckmaster system of playing a CCG, right? You can pick from lots of different settings – Pokemon, vampires, wizards, whatever – but the basic system of tapping and paying with energy cards etc is the same and familiar.
I like to buy OGL games. Okay. Actually, I *only* buy OGL games. I’ll buy *any* CCG but that’s only because I’m a CCG junkie. But I won’t even pick up a RPG unless it has the nifty little d20 or OGL icon stamped on the cover. I’m raising my hand. I’m a hypocrite. I’ll only buy OGL but I’m asking everyone to accept prepping a deck as a given and learn the Stacked system to boot.
I am such a punk.
Does it make it any better if I say “please?” How about “pretty please?” Okay, okay. I’ll do a strip dance. Hang on a sec while I prep the strips.
E.J.
